Well-being is critical to the ability of physician trainees to learn effectively and provide quality care to patients. While all trainees need support during the transition to U.S. graduate medical education (GME) and beyond, foreign national physicians have unique needs. Intealth plays a key role in the entry of foreign national physicians into U.S. GME and is committed to understanding the unique challenges they face and taking action to support their well-being.
Through the ECFMG Certification program, Intealth’s ECFMG division evaluates the readiness of international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter into programs of GME in the United States that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Roughly 75% of the physicians we certify are foreign nationals. Intealth is the sole J-1 visa sponsor of foreign national physicians in clinical U.S. GME training programs. In this role, Intealth currently sponsors more than 15,900 J-1 physicians at teaching hospitals across the nation and is responsible for monitoring their well-being.
Intealth is the sole J-1 visa sponsor of foreign national physicians in clinical U.S. GME training programs. The number of J-1 physicians training and serving patients in U.S. teaching hospitals has increased 67% over the past decade.
Learn more about J-1 physicians in the United States in our infographic 
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Our recent wellness-focused initiatives in support of these international physicians include an annual well-being grant opportunity for foreign national physicians in U.S. GME, collaboration with the ACGME on well-being research and events, and development of intervention tools and resources. Additionally, Intealth’s FAIMER division developed an electronic health record (EHR) learning module to support IMGs preparing to enter first-year residency positions, offering information about EHR use in the United States and hands-on experience.
Intealth continues to build on these efforts with the launch of IMG Well-being Day on May 30, 2025. This initiative recognizes the contributions of international medical graduates and promotes their well-being. Learn more on the IMG Well-being Day page.
Advocacy is another way we support the well-being of IMGs. Endorsing legislation geared toward improving physician well-being and reducing burnout, and raising awareness about the unique contributions and challenges of IMGs are two major focus areas of our advocacy efforts. Learn more about our advocacy work here.
Intealth actively collaborates with other organizations in the health care and health professions education communities to support physician wellness and resilience, with a particular focus on the needs of IMGs.
Intealth and the ACGME, which oversees the accreditation of more than 13,000 U.S. GME programs and establishes educational standards essential in preparing physicians to deliver safe, high-quality medical care, are natural partners in the support of physician well-being. In late 2023, the two organizations held a seminar that focused on the unique needs of foreign national physicians training in the United States and engaged a group of J-1 physicians from GME programs in the Chicago area. A J-1 Physician Well-being Module based on recordings of the event is available at no cost.
Intealth also is part of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience and a NAM Change Maker organization that has committed to health workforce well-being as a long-term value.
To learn more, request a speaker, or discuss opportunities for collaboration, please contact Intealth Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Chief Communications Officer, Tracy Wallowicz.
Tracy Wallowicz, MLS
Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Chief Communications Officer, Intealth
[email protected]
In 2023, Intealth launched the Well-being Grant Opportunity, an annual initiative that awards grants of up to US$5,000 to J-1 physician-led projects aimed at supporting the well-being of foreign national physicians at their host institutions.
For current information about the opportunity, please visit the Intealth Well-being Grant Opportunity page.
Congratulations to the 2024 winning projects! Read more here.
Intealth has compiled a number of resources to assist training institutions and foreign national physicians in removing potential barriers to well-being and addressing well-being issues. These resources are available in the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (EVSP) section of the ECFMG website.
Recently, Intealth partnered with Headspace, a leading wellness app, to provide J-1 physicians with premium access to science-backed content at no cost to them. This initiative is part of Intealth's ongoing efforts to enhance the support available to foreign national physicians throughout their training.
[Last update: May 5, 2025]